Chapter 41: Mastery and Ease

Immediately, he still ground his teeth and glared at the other two senior brothers, saying, “Do you really think pleading for peace will work now? If we don’t attack together and instead go one by one, we don’t stand a chance. Or do you still believe Lin Hao will let you go?”

After the fifth senior brother finished speaking, a flicker of anger crossed the eyes of the other two at being exposed. Yet, realizing the truth in his words, they stepped forward, helped him up, and the three of them once more faced Lin Hao.

The more scholarly second senior brother spoke: “Junior Brother Lin Hao, must there really be a fight between us today?”

“I’ve always despised those who scheme behind my back. Such people have long since died without a whole corpse left. I absolutely won’t let you go today.” Lin Hao’s words were ruthless and final.

Staring at the three of them, Lin Hao’s expression was icy.

Upon hearing this, the three men’s eyes flashed with malice. Drawing their swords, they charged at him.

Lin Hao had already expended considerable spiritual energy dealing with the rhinoceros beast earlier; against all three, he should have been at a disadvantage.

However, he had prepared in advance, exchanging five hundred points with the system for an Essence Infusion Pill, filling his body to the brim with spiritual power.

The effect would last for only two hours, but for Lin Hao, that was more than enough. Now, even against the three of them, he remained unruffled.

His strength surpassed theirs, and his spirit energy was far more abundant.

Just as the three were about to be overwhelmed, Lin Hao unleashed a Strange Fire Lotus toward them, the flames surging down upon their heads.

Despairing, all three shut their eyes.

Suddenly, a powerful current of spiritual energy surged from above, blocking Lin Hao’s fire lotus.

The lotus was rebounded toward Lin Hao, nearly injuring him. He took two steps back and looked toward the source of the energy—there, a middle-aged man approached. Lin Hao immediately recognized him: the elder of the White Robe Sect he’d seen before.

Lin Hao’s eyes were inscrutable as he stood his ground.

The three disciples of the White Robe Sect, upon seeing their elder, acted as though they’d been reunited with family, running joyfully to his side. The fifth senior brother especially rushed over, loudly complaining, “Elder, this Lin Hao is utterly lawless—he’s actually trying to kill us!” Without caring for right or wrong, he was first to lodge a complaint.

Lin Hao stood unmoving upon hearing this.

At that moment, the female cultivator Yu Tong regained consciousness.

She pressed her hand to her head, still dazed, and took in her surroundings.

Suddenly, remembering something, she quickly looked toward Lin Hao and, seeing him unharmed, let out a sigh of relief.

Just then she overheard the fifth senior brother’s words. Her eyes flashed with disbelief.

Immediately, she leapt up in anger, shouting, “That’s not true!”

Hearing her fifth senior brother twist the facts infuriated Yu Tong.

The fifth senior brother of the White Robe Sect grew impatient at being interrupted. Turning to see Yu Tong, he looked momentarily flustered, especially when he saw the look of disgust in her eyes.

He awkwardly said, “Yu Tong, you’re awake!”

But Yu Tong now couldn’t even bear to look at him. She turned away and, with utmost respect, addressed the elder, “Elder, it wasn’t like that.”

“Oh? Then what really happened? You’re all disciples—there’s no need to hide anything,” the elder said, his tone outwardly impartial, though he hadn’t fully believed the fifth senior brother’s account either. In front of outsiders, however, he naturally leaned toward his own disciples.

He hadn’t expected the female disciple herself to come forward and clarify the matter.

The elder could say nothing more, and could only ask Yu Tong with a look of fairness, “So what actually happened?”

Yu Tong recounted the entire story, her tone indignant.

At first, the elder’s expression remained neutral, but as Yu Tong went on, his face darkened further and further.

Lin Hao, observing this, thought the elder was a just man, that he was angry because his own disciples had erred.

But soon, Lin Hao realized something was amiss.

The elder’s darkening expression wasn’t due to the disciples’ wrongdoing, but because Yu Tong had exposed the White Robe Sect’s disgrace in front of outsiders, which infuriated him. He saw Yu Tong as thoughtless and disrespectful.

At the mention of the flood dragon, a flash of greed crossed the elder’s eyes.

Lin Hao noticed all of this, a cold laugh rising in his heart. He said nothing, intent on seeing what tricks the elder would play.

After Yu Tong finished, she looked at the elder and said, “Elder, that’s how it happened—it was the senior brothers who were greedy. Lin Hao did nothing wrong.”

At her words, the elder’s expression shifted, his gaze flickering as he sized up Lin Hao. Then, turning sharply, he feigned rage at his own disciples: “Despicable! You three have shamed the White Robe Sect—you’ve committed such disgraceful acts!”

The three shrank back in fear, wanting to explain, but the elder gave them no chance.

He turned to Lin Hao, coming forward with a kindly smile. “So, you’re called Lin Hao?”

“I am,” Lin Hao replied.

“And which sect do you belong to?” the elder asked.

“I am of the Clear Breeze Sect,” Lin Hao responded.

At the mention of the Clear Breeze Sect, a flash of contempt crossed the elder’s eyes.

Just a minor, insignificant sect, he thought.

But the look passed so quickly no one noticed.

He resumed his kindly demeanor. “Ah, the Clear Breeze Sect. Not bad. You have a promising future, young man. It’s true—our White Robe Sect was at fault today, especially these three unworthy disciples. Rest assured, I’ll see justice done.”

With this, the elder produced a medium-grade spirit stone and handed it to Lin Hao, saying with a hint of arrogance, “Consider this a token of our apology.”

The elder’s gaze was full of disdain.

This time, Lin Hao clearly detected the scorn. The elder’s attitude, as if the spirit stone was some grand reward, only revealed his condescension. Lin Hao could see at a glance that this was a hypocrite.

He glanced at the spirit stone with equal disdain.

Was this supposed to make amends? A single stone, and that’s all?

Lin Hao’s eyes flashed with anger. So this was just another petty man, not the righteous person he’d hoped for.

Lin Hao saw no need to be polite.

His face cold, he was just about to speak in anger.

But before he could say a word, Yu Tong interjected, “Elder, Senior Brother Lin Hao saved my life. How can a single spirit stone settle this matter?”

Yu Tong’s words made the elder’s face fall. “I will decide how this matter is handled. You may step back; this is not your place to speak.”

Yu Tong, seeing the elder’s anger, was frightened and had to obey, retreating to the side.

She looked at Lin Hao with guilt in her eyes, blaming herself for dragging him into so much trouble. Had she not gotten Lin Hao involved, none of this would have happened.

She also noticed the elder’s displeasure toward both Lin Hao and herself.

She began to worry the elder would take action against Lin Hao. The elder was, after all, a sanctimonious hypocrite, petty and vindictive, and obsessed with appearances.

Only now did Yu Tong realize that by speaking against the White Robe Sect in front of Lin Hao, she’d humiliated the elder.

She grew pale at the thought, looking toward Lin Hao with guilt and anxiety.

But Lin Hao appeared completely unconcerned. He glanced at the spirit stone in the elder’s hand, then stepped back and said, “Thank you, Elder, but I have no need of spirit stones. I act as I please—whether saving or killing, it’s my own decision. No one can command or stop me, nor do I need anyone’s gratitude. You may keep your stone.”

“You…” The elder stared at Lin Hao in disbelief, shocked by such a blunt rejection.

Lin Hao’s face was cold; he turned to leave.

The elder, coming to his senses, shouted angrily, “Stop right there! If you want to go, leave the flood dragon behind.”

Lin Hao looked at him with utter contempt. “And why should I? I found the flood dragon first.”

At this, a flash of murderous intent crossed the elder’s eyes. His voice turned cold and threatening: “It was clearly discovered first by disciples of the White Robe Sect. What does it have to do with you? If you know what’s good for you, leave the flood dragon behind, or your Clear Breeze Sect will suffer for it.”

At this threat, Lin Hao’s resentment only deepened.

To spite the elder, he took the flood dragon out of his system’s storage, slung it over his shoulder, and said with disdain, “I’m taking the flood dragon. What can you possibly do about it?”

With that, he turned to leave.

The elder was so furious at Lin Hao’s defiance that he nearly exploded. Few dared challenge his authority so brazenly.

He stepped forward, intent on teaching Lin Hao a lesson, but just then, a few members of other sects approached. For the sake of appearances, the elder dropped his raised hand.